Israel bombs targets in Gaza after sniper kills Israeli

Israel attacked several targets in the Gaza Strip from the air Tuesday, shortly after a suspected Palestinian sniper shot dead an Israeli near the border with Israel, dpa reported.

A military spokeswoman confirmed the Israeli aerial attack, but could not immediately give further details.

Witnesses said a training centre of the armed wing of Hamas, the Islamist movement ruling Gaza, near Khan Younis in the south of the strip was struck. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Hamas evacuated offices and training grounds and Israel ordered farmers to stay clear of the border with Gaza following the shooting.

The sniper shot dead an Israeli civilian, employed by the Israeli military to make repairs on the Israeli side of the security fence along the Gaza Strip border.

The incident happened as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was visiting Sderot, a southern Israeli town just north-east of the Gaza Strip which has attracted much of the Palestinian rocket and mortar fire from the coastal enclave.

"This is a most serious event and we will not let it pass," Netanyahu warned in a statement from his office.

"Our policy so far has been to foil in advance and respond forcefully (to any militant attacks) and that is how we will act also in this case," he said.